The English Language Arts 1 program comprises two courses, ELA 1 and Phonics 1. The program provides a well-balanced approach to literacy that integrates phonics, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and handwriting.

Phonics prepares students to become independent readers through teacher-led, systematic, multisensory instruction in a developmentally appropriate manner. Students review phonological awareness and learn advanced decoding skills and sight words. Letter tiles, a variety of interactive games and activities, and decodable readers (brief stories that consist entirely of words students can read independently) support multimodal learning. Spelling instruction begins in the second half of the first semester in ELA 1, building on the foundation of letter-sound knowledge previously mastered in Phonics.

The English Language Arts 1 program comprises two courses, ELA 1 and Phonics 1. The program provides a well-balanced approach to literacy that integrates phonics, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and handwriting. Students develop comprehension, build vocabulary, and gain a lifelong interest in reading. Thematic units in literacy contain workshops in which instruction is anchored by a focus text. Through a combination of teacher-led instruction (either live or via embedded video within the course) and independent practice (both online and offline), students build knowledge by exploring both classic and contemporary works in different genres and formats—fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction, trade books, magazines, and e-books. Beginning in the second semester, students complete focused grammar activities and write a variety of compositions by following the writing process.

Phonics prepares students to become independent readers through teacher-led, systematic, multisensory instruction in a developmentally appropriate manner. Students review phonological awareness and learn advanced decoding skills and sight words. Letter tiles, a variety of interactive games and activities, and decodable readers (brief stories that consist entirely of words students can read independently) support multimodal learning. Spelling instruction begins in the second half of the first semester in ELA 1, building on the foundation of letter-sound knowledge previously mastered in Phonics.

Art 1 lessons include an introduction to the art and architecture of different cultures such as Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, Greece, and China. Students will identify landscapes, still lifes, and portraits; study elements of art such as line, shape, and texture; and create art similar to the works they learn about, using many materials and techniques. For example, inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, students paint their own starry landscape using bold brushstrokes, and make clay sculptures inspired by a bust of Queen Nefertiti and the Great Sphinx.

Students learn to perform experiments and record observations, and understand how scientists see the natural world. They germinate seeds to observe plant growth, and make a weather vane.

This research-based course focuses on computational fluency, conceptual understanding, and problem-solving. The engaging course features new graphics, learning tools, and games; adaptive activities that help struggling students master concepts and skills before moving on; and more support for Learning Coaches to guide their students to success. This course for students in Grade 1 extends their work with place value to numbers through 100, emphasizing fluency of addition and subtraction facts, and focusing on number sentences and problem solving with addition and subtraction. Students begin work with money, telling time, ordering events, and measuring length, weight, and capacity with non-standard units. Students identify attributes of geometric figures and also extend their work with patterns and data, including representing and comparing data.

In this course, students receive structured lessons on readiness skills through emphasis on phonics, language skills, literature, and handwriting to help develop comprehension, build vocabulary, and promote a lifelong interest in reading.

This course kicks off a program that, spanning the elementary grades, provides an overview of world geography and history from the Stone Age to the Space Age.